Doth not the holy Ghost teach us to speak much more truely Marke well the Prophecie of Ezec. 7. where he speaketh of the worst of the heathen coÌ„sider by the circumstances whether it can be understood of any but the Romans when it representeth that Empire unto us under the name of Iâ—on mixt with dyrt as the Emperor Tiberius was called Lutum sanguine maceratum dyrt mixt with bloud unles you will therefore call it golden because in filthines and Idolatrie it was like the old Babylon which was figured by the head of Gold or because it is the seat of the golden Harlot But of this else-where In the mean space I demand again where was the zeale of their Bishops to reforme or correct these enormities euen of the Christians where were their decrees or decretals to restrain them where was the courage of the Priests or Clergie to reprehend or censure them was there none amongst them all but that Tertullian of Carthage and Salvianus of Massilia must rise up to speak of it Videbat hoc universa urbs patiebatur videbant Iudices acquiescebant sayth he So here was Babylon and yet I confesse there was Sion also But Sion dwelling in Babylon Whereof the Prophet Zacharie after the returne from the first captivitie seemeth to speak saying Zach. 2. Deliver thy self o Sion Rev. 18. that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon And our Evangelist repeateth Come out of her my people shewing that the prophecie of Esay and Ieremie concerning her destruction are not yet fulfilled I demand then upon all these premisses whether any place can be found in the world qualified for to be the seat of Antichrist according to these Prophesies besides the Septimontane Rome and that Christian the mountain of holynes and yet Sodome the Temple of God and yet Egypt Sion and yet Babylon which euen in her best Christianitie retained the Barbarous crueltie the abhominable filthines and horrible idolatrie of Egypt Sodom and Babylon in their publike sights and shewes Theaters solemnities ceremonies common practise And no sooner did they suppresse those old Pagan Idolatries but they fell to this new Idolatrie of worshiping of Images which they still practise defend together with their ever accustomed filthines crueltie whereupon I must propose this Problem whether by any possibilitie or imagination of man these things can be applied to any other place but Rome II. Of the state of Antichrist THE next thing after the place which offereth it self to our senses and consideration seemeth to be the subject or bodie without which no Accident can consist and therefore used in the definition of Accidents especially Relatiues which cannot be without their Correlatiues as a father cannot be so called but in respect of his sonne nor a Monarch or king but in respect of his monarchie kingdome or state Politike subject unto him And this also must be proportionable as we said before of Relatiues For as great things must haue great places so a great and mightie Monarch must haue a great state under him And as by the greatnes of the place we may measure the body so by the greatnes of the state subject to any Prince we judge of the greatnes power of the Prince himself We haue seene alreadie a great place appointed for Antichrist Let us now see the greatnes of the state and bodie politike that must be subject unto him and support him And this also hath not been neglected in the H. Scriptures but is set forth and described in divers places especially three as the best Interpreters do obserue which also do concurre and haue good correspondence with the prophecies concerning his place aboue specified First in the seuenth chap. of the prophet Daniel Secondly the 13 ch of the Rev. And thirdly the 17 ch of the Rev. which places agree in some things and differ in others and that agreement and those differences together with the reasons thereof deserue to be narrowly sifted First in Daniell we finde a great and terrible Beast with ten hornes and amongst the rest a litle horne rising up c. In the 13 of the Rev. we fynd two beasts one rising è mari out of the Sea as all the beasts in Daniel with tenne hornes c. the other rising e Terra In the 17 chap. of the Rev. we fynde a great beast with ten hornes and a whore sitting on his back Let us first consider of the description of this great beast rising out of the sea in the 13 ch of the Rev. where he seemeth to be most fully set forth positiuely and after comparatiuely Here therefore the great beast rising out of the sea is described first in his existence or parts Secondly in his power actions For his existence and parts it is first said to be a beast rising out of the sea Secondly having seauen heads Thirdly ten hornes crowned Fourthly upon his heads were names of blasphemie Fiftly his bodie like a Leopard Sixtly his feet like a beare And seuenthly his mouth like a Lion For his power and actions it is said 1 that the dragon gaue him his power and his throne and great authoritie 2 That one of his heads was wounded as it were to death but his deadly wound was cured 3 All the world wondered after the beast and worshiped the Dragon which gaue power to the beast and worshiped the beast saying Who is like to the beast Who is able to make warre with him 4 There was giuen him a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies 5 Power was given to him to doe and continue two and fortie months 6 He opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheame his name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen 7 And it was giuen to him to make warre with the saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over all kindreds tongues and nations And all that dwell upon earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life and Loe here a strange and mightie beast Now what is meant by the name of a beast rising out of the sea the prophet Daniell telleth us For he saith plainly Dan. 7 23. that it signifyeth a kingdome rising upon the earth And the fourth Beast saith he is the fourth kingdome Which seemeth to be the same that is here spoken of The prophet Ezechiel useth the same phrase Ezce 19 17. saying Wherefore laye thy mother as a Lyonesse among the Lyons c. And againe the great Eagle c. Now if this be a kingdome which is spoken of by our Euangelist of necessitie it must be some verie great and mightie kingdome for so it appeareth by all parts of the description especially where it is said that all the world woâ—shipeth it And in the question that is asked Who is able to warre with him paralel to that question asked in another place What cittie is like to this great cittie As
the description also of this beast here is almost the same with that which is expressed in the 17 chap. of this Book I ask then what kingdome or Empire can be understood in this place Surely he that will say that this beast here and the beast in the 17 chap. do signifie any other kingdom beside Rome must produce some other great Empire to whom the seaven heads and the other attributes there given unto it may be applied aswell as to the Roman which no man yet could ever do Let us therefore see the description of this mightie Empire comparatiue and wherein it doth agree or differ from that which is described by the Prophet Daniel and by this our Euangelist in the 17 ch The fourth Beast saith the Prophet comming out of the sea was fearfull and terrible and verie strong It had great Iron teeth it devoured and brake in peeces and stamped the residue under his feet it was unlike the other beasts for it had ten horns there came up among them another little horne before whom three of the first hornes were plucked away and in this horne were eyes like a man and a mouth speaking presumptuous things And this fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdome and shall be unlike to all kingdomes and shall devour the whole earth and tread it downe and breake it in peeces and the teene hornes out of this kingdome are ten kings and another shall arise after them and he shall be unlike the first and shall subdue three kings And shall speak words against the Most High and think that he may change times and lawes and they shall be given into his hands untill a time times and half a time But the judgment shal sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end This is Daniels description of the fourth Monarchie Let us heare again how the Euangelist describeth it in the 13 chap. I saw a beast rising out of the sea having seuen heads Rev. 13. and ten hornes so Daniell and upon his hornes ten crownes upon his heads the names of blasphemie And the Beast which I saw was like a Leopard and his feete were as the feete of a Bear his mouth as the mouth of a lyon and the dragon gaue him his throne and great authoritie and I saw one of his heads as wounded to death but the deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred and followed the beast and they worshiped the dragon which gaue power to the beast saying Who is like to the beast who is able to make warre with him so Daniell it shall devour the whole earth c. And there was giuen unto him a mouth that spake great things blasphemies power was giuen him to continue 42 months And he opened his mouth in blasphemie against God to blaspheme his name his Tabernacle and them that dwelt in heauen And it was giuen unto him to make warre with the Saints and to overcome them and power was giuen him over everie kindred tongue and nation Therefore all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the lambe which was slayn from the beginning of the world In the 17 chap. of the Revelation it is thus The woman sate upon a scarlet beast full of names of blasphemie Rev. 17. which had seuen heads and ten hornes so in the former prophecies And the beast which thou hast seene was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomlesse pitte and shall goe into perdition And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is Here is the minde that hath wisdome The seuen heads are seuen mountains they are also seuen kings fiue are fallen one is another is not yet come and when he cometh he must continue a short space And the beast that was and is not is the eight is of the seuen and shall go into destruction And the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten kings which yet haue not receaved a kingdome but shall receaue power as kings at one houre with the beast These shall haue one minde and shall giue their power athoritie to the beast These shall fight with the Lamb and the Lambe shall overcome them the ten hornes shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh and shall burne her with fire They that be of indifferent Iudgment may see in that Prophecie of Daniell many things that cannot be applyed to Antiochus or to the kingdome of the Seleucidae Vide Brightmâ— in Dan. 11. As first the great power of this fourth kingdome which the Prophet setteth forth in more terrible dreadfull manner then any of the former But was the kingdome of the Seleucidae more terrible or more powerfull then the Assirian and Caldean the Median and Persian or the Grecian Monarchie was Antiochus any way comparable to Nabuchadnezzar Cyrus or Alexander Did he devour the whole earth Also this fourth kingdom shall think to make changes of times or lawes Dan. 7. c. did Antiochus so Besides by the words of Daniel it may seem that the fourth kingdom shall continue untill the finall judgment which cannot agree to the Seleucidans Letting therefore that opinion passe as a Iewish conceit approved by none of the ancient that I can finde Hieron in Daâ— but Porphyry some few of late that are too much addicted to the Rabbins I thinke there is litle doubt to be made but although some things may be applyed to Antiochus Hieron in Dan 2 4. Quartum regu perspic ue pertinet ad Rom. August Nich de Lyra. Antoninus Marsil Fic Sleidan Napier in Apoc. Abbat demonstr Antâ—chr Pâ—raeus Not. Geneven c yet this beast here signifieth the Roman Monarchie and the little horne signifieth Antichrist shadowed in some things by Antiochus And so I finde the opinion of the ancient and best interpreters Then to goe forward and see what points these two excellent and divine Prophets apply to the Roman Empire and wherein they agree or differ And truly to my understanding they seeme to agree in seuen points verie materiall 1. In the rising of this beast which both affirm to be out of the sea 2. In the name a Beast that is a Kingdom as the Angel expoundeth it not one King individuall although if he did say a King we may understand well enough the whole succession as where he saith Thou o King art that head of Gold 3. In the attribute which they give unto him Great strength and power unmatchable and unresistable 4. In his disposition most cruell and bloudy 5. In the instruments of his power Ten horns that is ten Kings 6. In his Warre against the saincts prevailing against them 7. In
be seauen hils and seauen kings Cap. 17. 3 It hath his ten hornes crowned 4 Here is no mention of any little horne arising up after â—he rest nor of any of those things which Daniel speaketh of him but there is a second beast rising up after the first Consider now whether the little horne be not now become this second beast 5 It is said that upon his heads were names of blasphemie 6 One of his heads was wounded to death 7 His deadly wound was cured Let us come to the description of this beast in the 17 chap. which I mean but onely to touch leaving the further examination thereof to a place more convenient Probl. â— 1 In Daniel there was a â—ittle horn In the 13 of the Revelation a second Beast whereof in the 17 chap. there is little or no mention 2 In this chap there is a woman sitting upon the seuen-headed beast whereof in Daniel or in the 13 chap. there is nothing what is become of the horne or second beast if it be not this woman 3 In the 13 ch the beast is not said to be of any colour but in the seuenteenth of a skarlet or Crimson colour 4 Power is giuen to the beast over everie kindred tongue and nation in the 13 ch but in the 17 the woman is supported by peoples multitudes and nations 5 Here in the 13 ch the beast maketh war with the saints but there the woman is druncken with the bloud of the saints and Martyrs of Christ Iesus 6 Here the names of blasphemie are onely upon the heads of the beast but there the whole beast is full â—f 〈◊〉 â—f â—â—â—sphemie 7 Here all the world wondreth at the beast worshâ—pâ—th the dragon and the beast But there the kings of the earth â—â—mmit fornication with the woman and the Inhabitants â—f the earth are druncken with the wine of her fornication so both are drunke she with bloud and they with fornication and there is no more speach of worshâ—ping the beast Very notable and remarkable differences If I be not much deceaved whereof to speak shortly my opinion under correction I am persuaded to collect that the state of Rome in Daniel is signifyed by the fourth beast specially before the Caesars in the 13 of the Rev by the first beastè Mari under the Cesars and in the 17 by the skarlet coloured beast under the whore Antichrist in Daniel is the little horne in the 13 of the Apoc. the second beastè terra in the 17 the whore Which being well observed the reason of all the Concordances and differences between these prophecies will easily appear For the proofe whereof leâ— us cast our eye back again consider the severall parts of the description of this beast and therein see whether it do not fully agree to the Roman state in these severall times and whether it can be applyed to any other And first why it is called a beast amongst other things for which the Romanists of these dayes do calumniate the professors of true and sincere religion One is this that we say some places of scripture are to be taken figuratiuely This a late Iesuit objecteth against us calling it a shâ—ft but whether it be a shift or not it is none other then the ancient and best interpreters advise us to looke unto Aug. de doct Câ—râ—st lb 2 3. namely S. Augustin in his books de doctâ—ina Chrisitâ—na where he sheweth that not onely proper but translated words are used in the scripture and of some figures not onely the examples but the names are there to be found whereof one sayth he is allegoria Conâ—es l. 11. which is nothing els but a Metâ—phore continued Pauca sunt quae proprie lâ—quimur pâ—ura non proprie sayth he in another place whereupon learned divines Tb. Aquin. in 1 sentent both Hebrew and Christian haue alwayes confessed that there is not onely a litterall sence to be admitted in the exposition of the scripture but an Allegorâ—â—all and Anagâ—gicall 10. Picuâ— Miâ— in Apolog. so it be with consent of other places So our Saviour when his Apostles doubted what he meant by the leaven of the Pharâ—sees Mat. 16. and of the hypocrisie of the Pharisee And when his disciples murmured for that he sayd Except ye eat my flesh ye haue no life Luke 12. c. He answereth What if ye should see me ascend into heauen Ioh. 6. It is the spirit that giveth life the flâ—sh profiteth nothing So wheresoever any absurditie or as S. Augustin speaketh facinus or flâ—gitium wickednes or mischief will follow upon the proper exposition there it must be understood to be spoken figuratiuely for there is nothing taught in the scripture sayth he but the loue of God and our neighbour so here not onely by the consent of all interpreters but by the warrant of the spirit of God expounding it to Daniel by his Angel we are taught to understand that the name of a beast in propheticall scriptures Concurrentibus his quae requiruntur other places either concurring or not repugning doth signifie a kingdome going in succession from man to man and we haue no warrant to take it for one particular or individuall person or in any other sense then the Angel hath expounded it And this is no new or uncouth manner of speach to call great kingdomes by the names of great beasts as I haue touched before but why and for what reason or upon what ground they are so called is a consideration not unworthie to be searched out so far forth as the mercie and grace of our Lord Iesus Christ shall illuminate our understanding and direct our mindes wherein if I be somewhat long I hope the value of the matter may countervayl our pains Assist us therefore in this investigation â—â—es 4. O Lord who art ascended up on high and givest gifts unto men First then I demand whether we may not hold it for a certaine and infallible veritie that the later Prophets did converse and exercise themselues in reading and meditateing upon the law Deut 6 6. and the writings of the Prophets that were before them 〈◊〉 18 15. as all are commanded to doe by Moses exhorted by David â—â—l 1. and taught by the example of Daniel Secondly Dan. 9. I demand whether we may not beleeue that they did thereby obtaine an habit or grace of God to use the words and phrases of the former Prophets to make use of them by a kinde of progression As when the prophet David had recorded that excellent prophecie of our Saviour Christ I haue set my King upon Sion the Hill of my holynes Psal 2. Psal 69. He himself goeth forward saying An high hill is Gods hill in which it pleaseth him to dwell he will dwell in it for ever And in another place He will heare me from his holy hill The prophet Micah goeth yet farther Psal 50. saying
that the Mountaine of Gods house shal be set in the tops of the mountains Mich. 3. and manie nations shall flow to it Which the Prophet Esay turneth to exhortation O house of Iacob Esay 2. come ye also and let us walk in the light of the Lord. And the prophet Daniel useth it by way of progression to a farther prophecie calling it first a stone cut out without hands Dan. 2. which dasheth the kingdoms of the world in peeces and grew to a mountain filling the whole earth Doubtles this Propheticall progression is most excellent and observable But I know not whether in all those heauenly writings any be so usefull or worthie of contemplation as that of our Saviour Christ whom when Moses by the dictate of the H. Ghost had first styled the seed of the woman afterward the seed of Abraham The Prophet Esay goeth forward and calleth him the roote Gen 3. Esay 11. and then the stem then the branch Hereupon again the prophet Hosea goeth forward and with most sweet loving words to comfort the people of God in their afflictions applyeth this to the mysticall bodie of our Saviour Hosh 14. I will heale their rebellion saith he I will lâ—ue them freely I will be as the dew to Israel and he shall grow as the lilly and fasten his rootes as the Caedars of Lebanon his braunches shall spread and his beutie shall be as the oliue c. Lo first a seed then a root then a stem then a braunch and now a tree bearing and spreading his braunches Yet no word is all this while of fruit it comes anon but by the way these heauenly Prophets make many excellent uses of these propheticall metaphors Esay thus He shall grow before him as a braunch Esa 53. as a root out of a drye ground noting his humiliation Ieremie thus I will raise to David a righteous braunch Ier. 23. and a king shall raigne and prosper to note his kingdome and exaltation Zacharie thus Zach. 6. behould the man whose name is the braunch he shall build the temple of the Lord. to signify his priesthood intercession and mediation Our most gratious and blessed Lord being come in the flesh to shew the fulfilling of all these prophecies calleth himself now no longer a roote or a braunch but I sayth he am the true generous and fruitfull vine Ioh. 15. Yea sayth S. Paul not onely a vine bearing fruit of it self Rom. 11. but an oliue receaving grafts of others Whereupon he inferreth a most loving and graue admonition to all Christians Be not high minded Thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee This example of propheticall progression so sweet so excellent so comfortable and so well followed I could not I would not I durst not conceal or omit To returne to our purpose Why should I not think that the prophet Daniel and our propheticall Euangelist S. Iohn in the description of these four Monarchies observed some such thing The prophet David saith that a man without understanding is like a beast He saith also that he that maketh an Image Psal 49. Psal 115. and he that trusteth in it is without sense like the Image it self Ieremy goeth forward Everie man is a beast by his skill Ier. 10 51 everie founder is confounded by the graven image Dan. 7. Lo now an Idolater is a beast The prophet Daniel taketh up that and resembleth great Monarchies unto great beasts It cannot I think be supposed but he doth it upon the same reason namely because they erected or mainteined Idolatries For which cause they were all represented before in one Image of divers mettals to shew that they all agreed in the worshiping of Idols though in divers manners Now the Prophet Daniel resteth not here but by the illumination of Gods spirit goeth forward to shew the properties of these four kingdomes under the figures of severall beasts and therefore calleth the first a Lyon the second a Beare the third a Leopard and the fourth he saith it was most strong terrible cruell and powerfull yet he findeth no name for it nor beast whereunto it is like but where he leaveth S. Iohn goeth forward saying that it was like to divers beasts in his severall parts Rev. 13. For it hath the bodie of a Leopard the mouth of a Lion the feete of a Beare c. Thus then haue we seene as I suppose a probable reason why these great Monarchies were resembled to beastes out of which this consideration may result that the last of them all which must of necessitie be that of Antichrist must exceed all the rest in Idolatrie tyrannous maintenance of Idolatrie Let us now consider the severall parts of this last kingdome Rev. 17. And first of the heads These are said to be seauen expounded by the Angel to signifie seuen kings and seauen mountains and wheresoever we finde the seuen Mountains there we must finde also the seauen kings But sayth the Angell it is the great cittie that ruleth over the kings of the earth an inseparable and individuall propertie of Rome No cittie but that was ever called Septicollis or Septimontium No mountains better known by their severall and distinct names then those seauen of Rome None did ever boast of seauen Mountaines in one cittie but the Romans Here therefore we must looke for the seauen kings and yet we need not to seek far for Livy Tacitus haue expressely named everie one of them as I shewed before namely their Kings Consuls Dictators Decemvirs Tribunes Caesars and Pontifices Max. But here by the way there is a singularitie to be observed Rev. 13. which is not mentioned in any other place but in this 13 cha namely that one of these seauen heads was wounded to death Napier but his deadly wound was healed This most aptly agreeth to the Romans as it hath been well expounded by others There be some who because it is said that this was the wound of a sword there is no sword in the scripture so well noted as that of the word Ephe. 6. do interpret this of the wound given to the Caesarean idolatrie by the preaching of the gospell which is healed and restored by the Pont. max. Let Divines judge to signifie either the wound that was giuen to the Caesarean head by the murder of Iulius which was healed by Augustus or the wound of the same head in Nero the healing of it by Vespasian Sueton. in vita Vesp of whose restoring the CoÌ„mon wealth Suetonius professedly maketh two whole chapters But a most signall singularitie of these Heads is noted in the 17 ch Fiue sayth he are fallen one is and another is not yet come This bringeth us by the hand into Rome For it is manifest that of the seauen governments of Rome fiue were fallen before the Revelation namely the fiue first named by Livy Livy l. 6.